Machine for inserting printing plates into frames



Aug. 11, 1936. w. T. GOLLWWZER 2,050,310

MACHINE FOR INSERTING PRINTING PLATES INTO FRAMES Filed July 5, 1934 6Sheets-Sheet l Aug- 11, 1936- w. T. GoLLwlTzER 2,050,310

MACHINE FOR INSERTING PRINTING PLATES INTO FRAMES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJuly 5, 1954 In ff mw fr @MV a@ www@ fI/m/ ug. 1I, 1936. w, T-GQLLWlTZER 2,050,310

-INT0 FRAMES MACHINE FOR INSERTING PRINTING PLATES Filed July 5, 1934 6Sheets-Sheet 3 www aux

Aug. 11, 1936.

W. T, GOLLWlTZER y MACHINE FOR INSERTING PRINTING PLATES INTO FRAMES;

Filed July 5, i934 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 .1 MQ www? Ham/ Aug. 11, 1936.

W. T. GOLLWITZER MACHINE FOR INSERTING PRINTING PLATES INT0 FRAMES esheets-sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1934 3mm/1M Aug. 11, 1936. w. T.GoLLwlTzER` MACHINE FOR IN-SIERTING PRINTING- PLATES INTO FRAMES y FiledJuly 5, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug. 1l, 1936 UNITED STATESPATENT orgies MACHINE FOR INSERTING PRINTING PLATES INTO FRAMESApplication July 5, 1934, Serial No. 733,709

28 Claims.

This invention concerns a machine for facilitating the positioningand/or removing of members from holders. This, therefore, is the generalobject of the present invention. The invention 5 is especially concernedwith a mechanism for positioning and/or removing address plates fromframes or holders in which they are mounted when used in addressingmachines. This is therefore a more specific object of the invention.

Addressing machines for printing names and addresses on mailing matterare now in general use, particularly where great quantities of suchmatter is handled, as, i'or instance, in large mail advertisingcampaigns, and for invoices of large public utility corporations. Forthe most part,

such addressing machines print from anV embossed metal plate which ismounted in a frame or holder. Such construction provides a holder whichmay be ruggedly built to withstand usage in the addressing machine andalfords great protection for the printing plate. The plate may itherefore be constructed so as to be readily embossed to form printingindicia thereon and Without regard to handling strains, which latter areabsorbed by the frame or holder.

When in practical use, a series of plates are embossed, each platebearing indicia as, for instance, a name and address, althoughother'data is often embossed on the plate. Such embossed plates are theninserted in holders and stored in suitable magazines or storage drawers,usually in a definite order. Often one mailing list will include manythousands of such units, and then are fed through the addressingmachines each time matter is to be mailed to persons whose names are onthe lists.

The data carried by the plates are revised from time to time, due tochange in addresses, elimination of certain addresses from the list andaddition of new addresses or other new data. When a plate is to berevised, it is removed from its holder and often a new plate ispositioned on the holder, which is then again placed in use.

The initial positioning of the plates on the holders and thesubstitution of revised plates for an old plate has been a manualoperation, entailing much time, and has been a costly item.

Many address plates are held in their holders by spring tongues, whichare formed of the body of the plate and must be momentarily deformed ormoved out of engaging position to position a plate on the frame and/ orto remove a plate from the frame. The frames and plates both are gen- 55erally formed of comparatively thin metal.

(Cl. 10i-1) Hence, manual operations thereon are often difcult andsometimes harmful, as any sharp edge or n on either the frame, the plateor the spring tongue is apt to cut or injure the fingers of theoperator. An object of the present invention is 5 to provide a mechanismwhich will eliminate individually handling either the frames or theplates.

A more specic object is to provide a mechanism into which a stack ofplates, taken directly 10 from an embossing machine, may be positioned,and into which a stack of frames from a storage magazine, either with orwithout plates thereon, may be positioned, and which mechanism willinsert a plate from the stack onto each frame, and 15 the frame, withthe new plates thereon, Will be stacked so as to be removed from themachine as a group and thereby prevent, for all practical purposes, thehandling of the individual plates, frames or units. Where the framecarries an old 20 plate, the ejection of such plate will be automatic.

Another object is to provide a mechanism which will accommodate a stackof plates in a prearranged order and which mechanism will insertsuccessive plates on frames and stack the 25 frames so that successiveframes in the stack will bear successive plates Without rearrangement ofthe order, such as may result from manual handling of the plates orcombined units individually. 30

The manual operation of positioning a plate on the frame is accompaniedby danger of distorting the printing plate. The plates are generallymade of a comparatively soft metal, often zinc, so that they may bereadily embossed to 35 provide printing characters thereon, and suchmaterial is readily distorted or bent. In positioning the plate on theframe it has been customary for the operator to grasp one end of theplate and depress the spring tongue by bringing the other end of theplate downwardly into engagement with the tongue. The thumb is thenbrought into frictional engagement with the face of the plate overlyingthe frame and the plate is forced into its final position onto theframe. This 45 method of applying the plates sometimes bends the plateswhile they are being used to depress the spring tongue retainer andthereby results in distortion of the plate to such an extent as willcause a distorted impression. An object of the present invention is toprovide a method and apparatus for inserting plates in frames in such amanner that the distortion of the plate will be prevented.

The manual operation of removing a plate from a frame is tedious and isaccomplished by two distinct steps. In the rst step, the operatordepresses a spring tongue, usually with the thumb nail of one hand, andwith the other hand partially ejects the plate by moving it onto thespring tongue until the edge of the plate abuts the thumb, at which timethe plate will maintain the tongue depressed. The second step is thenperformed, namely, the thumb nail is removed from the spring tongue andthe thumb placed in frictional engagement with the face of the plate andthe plate is drawn clear of the end of the frame. It is an object of thepresent invention to provide a method and apparatus whereby the removalof the plate from the frame may be accomplished by a single continuousmovement of the plate, thereby reducing the time required for suchremoval and simplifying the apparatus required.

Other objects of my invention will become more apparent from thedetailed description hereinafter given.

My improved method of inserting plates on frames in general comprisespressing down a spring retaining tongue of the plate beneath a very thinmember and inserting the plate by sliding it over the thin member. Whena plate is to be removed, a comparatively thin pressing member actsagainst one of the tongues to render it inactive and the plate is slidacross such member to remove it from the frame. Such pressing memberpreferably has a nose which is bent slightly downwardly, so that when itis being urged against a tongue, the innermost end of the member willlie below the bottom of the plate, thereby facilitating the removal ofthe plate.

If it is desired to substitute one plate for another on a frame, bothspring retaining tongues are held in an inactive position beneathrespective members and a new plate slid onto the frame across onemember, and the old plate slid oir the frame across the other m-ember.My method, however, will be more fully understood from the followingdescription of a preferred form of apparatus for carrying out the same.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of my plate andframe-handling machine, looking at the main table from a pointperpendicular thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine showingthe angle at which the table rests with the horizontal plane; Fig. 3 isa section looking downwardly from the upper portion of the machine,certain parts being in a diiferent position, the plane of the sectionbeing indicated by the lines 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a transversesection, as shown by the lines 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a longitudinalsection, as shown by the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a section takenalong the same lines as Fig. 5, but showing the plateinserting mechanismin a different position; Figs. '7 and 8 are sectional details, the planethe sections being indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines onFig. 1; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section, as indicated by the lines 9 9on Fig. 4; Figs. l0 and 11 sectienal details, as indicated by thecorrespondingly numbered lines on Fig. 3; Fig. l2 is a sectional detailas indicated by the lines l2-l2 of 1; Fig. 13 is a plan view of anaddress plate being broken away to more clearly illustrate theconstruction of the holder; Figs. 14 and 15 are sectional details of theplate and holder, the plane ofthe sections being indicated by thecorrespondingly numbered lines on Fig. 13.

The mechanism illustrated in the drawings is especially adapted forinserting and/or removing embossed address plates on or from addressplate holders, although it will be evident that it may be used in anyinstance where one member is to be placed onto or removed from a holderby a sliding movement accompanied, if such be the case, by the releaseof a retaining member. Such mechanism comprises in general; a base 2Bcarrying a magazine 39 adapted to receive a stack of frames or holdersF; a second magazine 6D 10 adapted to receive and retain a plurality ofembossed plates P in stacked relationship; and a third or receivingmagazine 9i! into which the assembled plates and frames are stacked bymechanism carried by the base. Suitable feeding 15 mechanism is providedto feed a frame from the magazine 3d, while other mechanism feeds aplate from the magazine 6G and mounts it on the frame and acts at thesame time to remove an old plate from the frame, if the frame carries 20such plate.

The particular printing plate P for which the mechanism shown in thedrawings is especially adapted, is best shown in Figures 13, 14 and 15.

This plate comprises a fiat, thin, rectangular 25 plate, somewhat longerthan it is wide. The edges across the end are comparatively straight,while the sides may be serpentine. The metal, from which such plates areformed, is sufficiently soft to permit suitable printing characters to30 be embossed or struck up from the surface thereof, such charactersbeing shown at C in Figs. 13 and 15.

The printing plate P is removably secured in position on the lower areaI0 of the frame F. 35

The lowermost edge of the holder or frame bent upwardly and inwardly onitself, forming a lip I i extending across substantially the entirelower edge of the holder, and beneath which lip the printing plate P maybe slid to position it on or remove it from the holder. 'Ihe upper edgeof the printing plate is positioned by a series of lips l2, which arestruck up from the body of the frame and then bent downwardly parallelto the surface of the frame to overlie the upper edge of the printingplate. The printing plate is prevented from endwise movement byabutments i3 carried by spring tongues i4 which are separated from theframe on three sides in order that they may be depressed to enable aprinting plate to be slid over the abutments for the purpose of placingit on, or removing it from, the frame.

The lips l l and l2, above described, serve to m aterially strengthenthe frames against bending in a direction transversely of the printirifrplate. The sides of the frame are bent inwardly upon the back of theframe and are provided with downwardly facing ribs l5, which serve tostraighten the frame against bending in a direction parallel with theprinting plate. The ribs l5 also serve to space the frames so that whenthey are stacked at, one on top of another, the bottom of the one framewill not contact with the embossed characters of the plate carried bythe frame next below.

Located at the upper edge of the frame is a series of pockets or keepersi8 adapted to support and retain in position one or more index tabs T,so that the body of the tab projects outwardly from the edge of theframe and lies in substantially the same plane as the body of the frame.l Suiice it to say that the keepers each include a region i? presseddownwardly from the body of the frame and separated therefrom at itsupper edge, thereby providing a forwardly facing edge |8 below the bodyof the frame. A more detailed description of the tab and keeper will befound in my copending application, Serial No. 612,957,

filed May 23, i932, and assigned to my assignee.

The machine base 25 comprises a hollow rectangular body, and as shown inFig. 2, is provided with suitable supporting feet 2|. The top of thebase slopes at an angle to the horizontal to facilitate the movement ofthe frame along its face by gravity, and aid in maintaining the platesand frames in their magazines. The various magazines and the operatingmechanisms heretofore referred to are all supported by the base.

The frames are inserted in stacked relationship, one on top of another,in the magazine 3D, which is mounted on the base 20 and serves to holdthe printing frames prior to their'passage through the machine. Themagazine, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, is channel shaped with thechannel opening upwardly and rearwardly with reference to the base, asshown in Fig. 4. The magazine 3i! is rigidly fastened to blocks 3| oneach of the two sides thereof, which in turn are secured to the base 2Bby suitable screws 32. The magazine is inclined forwardly and hencegravity maintains the frames in contact with the front wall 33 thereof.

The lowermost frames in the magazine 3|) are retained therein, duringthe return stroke of a feeding member hereinafter to be described, by apair of stops 34, which are secured to the sides of the guideway 45. Theupper portion of each member 34, facing the channel 3D, flares away fromsuch channel to provide a camming surface to guide the frames betweenthe members $4 and the Wall 33 of the channel 3% as they descend towardthe base. When the frames carry an index tab or tabs, the latter extendrearwardly therefrom into the space between the two members 34, whichare spaced apart a distance sufficient to prevent interference with thetabs. 1f desired, a suitable weight may be positioned on top of thestack of frames to insure their progress downwardly.

The previously embossed printing plates are placed in a stackedrelationship, one on top of the other, in the magazine 6B. The magazine6G is best illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3, and as shown comprises achannel 5l mounted on the base 2D and inclining forwardly relative to avertical plane. Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that bars 62 arerigidly fastened to the back of the channel Si?, such bars dependingbelow the lower edge of the channel and ending in pins |54. The pins 54removably engage openings 65 in a crossframe member of the base 2D.Removal of the magazine 5|) thus is readily effected by merely raisingit.

The magazine 35, heretofore described, is positioned at one end of aguideway 4i), which extends along the left hand side of the base 2i), asshown in Fig. 3. The receiving magazine 9D is positioned at the otherend of the guideway 40. The plate magazine stands to the right of theguideway and substantially midway between its ends. Mechanism isprovided to progressively move a printing frame from the stack in themagazine 35 along the guideway 40 in the oase 23 to the receivingmagazine 9B in two steps. Such movement is partially effected by apusher 5d, which reciprocates in the guideway 4l).

The lowermost frame F in the magazine 30 is ejected by the pusher 5D.This pusher comprises a nat plate-like top member 5i, secured to a bar52, which slides between two bars 4| and 42 forming the guideway' 4Uheretofore mentioned. A second plate 53 is secured to the underside ofthe member 52 and underlies the bars 4| and 42, while the plate 5|overlies such bars. Hence, the plates 5| and 53 cooperate with the bars4| and 42 to retain the pusher mechanism in position between the barsforming the guideway 4D.

As the machine is operated, the plate 5| of the pusher mechanism 50 ismoved from a position behind the magazine 30, as shown in Fig. 1, totheposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The forward edge of the plate 5labuts the lowermost frame in the magazine-30, and, as the plate 5| movesforward, pushes such frame from the magazine. The forward edge of theplate 5| has a recess 54 cut therein to prevent distortion of tabsinserted in the frame by contact of the pusher mechanism with them.Thus, instead of the plate 5| engaging the tabs T carried by the frame,ears 55 on each side of the recess 54 engage the frame in the Vregion ofthe reinforcing ribs I5 to effect its movement.

The lowermost framel in the magazine 39 rests on the bars 4| and 42 infront of the plate 5| and as it is moved from the magazine 3|! by theabutting lips 55 of the plate, it passes beneath the lo-wermost edge ofthe magazine wall 33. As the plate is progressed from the magazine 30toward the receiving magazine 90, the ribs I5 of the plate aremaintained in Contact with the bars 4| and 42 by a leaf spring 45, oneend of which is secured to the wall 33 of the magazine 35 and the otherend of which bears downwardly on the frame F.

The pusher 5Fl moves` the frame forward to the position indicated by theframe FI, shown in Fig. 1, in which position a plate is to be mounted onthe frame, and in case the frame has an old plate thereon, such plate isto be ejected. The pusher 5D is now drawn rearwardly and the frame Fi ismaintained in its position in contact with the bars 4| and 42 bythe leafspring 45, heretofore described. The pusher 50 has a plate-like eX-te-nsion 55, which underlies the frame, between the ribs |5 thereof, andserves a purpose hereinafter to be described. A suitable stop 51 servesto prevent rearward movement of the frame, due to Contact by theplate-like extension 56 of the pusher with the underside of the frame,thereby materially aiding in the locating of the frame.

The stop 51 overhangs the guideway 40 and is loosely mounted on a stud58, carried inthe base 20. A compression spring 59, carried by the stud,

acts to resiliently maintain the stop in contact with the top of thebase adjacent the guideway, as shown in Fig. 12. Due to a cammingsurface on the underside of an overlying lip 51a, of this stop, theframe, as it moved forwardly, was shoved thereunder, causing the stop torise against the compression of the spring 59. When the frame hadcompletely passed frombeneath the stop 5T, the spring 59 forced thelatter downwardly, in which position the overlying lip 51a dependingfrom the stop 51 lay immediately behind the positioned frame, so as toprevent its movement backwardly toward the magazine 3B by reason ofabutment of the positioned frame therewith, as the pusher mechanism 5|!withdrew.

When a frame has been moved to the position indicated by the frame F|(Fig. l), the lowermost plate P is shoved from the magazine 5B andpositioned on the frame, This is accomplished by a second pusher 10operating in a slideway and moving at right angles to the direction ofmovement of the frames. The lowermost plate in the plate magazine 6Urests Von a pair of spaced supporting plates Sl and 92, which aresecured to the base 20. The plates P rest one on top of the other instacked relationship in the channelshaped magazine 60, and normallycontact with the rear wall thereof, due to the inclination of themagazine relative to a horizontal plane.

The pusher 'lll comprises a spring metal plate 12 (Fig. 5), which issecured to a member '13, which, in turn, is fastened to a bar 74. Thelatter bar is reciprocated by the operating mechanism of the machine, aswill hereinafter be more fully described. The pusher l2, when ready tobegin feeding printing plates, is in the position shown in Fig. 5. Inthis position, the left-hand end of the plate l2 lies to the right ofthe lowermost printing plate carried by the magazine 6D.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the left-hand end or^ the pusher plate T2 isforked and bent downwardly. The tines of the forked end of the pusher l2engage grooves 'l5 in the plates Sl and 62, which support the stackcarried by the magazine. This arrangement is such that the uppermostsurface of the pusher is in substantially the same plane as theuppermost surface of the lowermost plate in the magazine V6). As thepusher is moved toward the left to remove a plate from the magazine, thetines are cammed upwardly shortly after they project beneath the nextplate in the stack and a rm purchase is had by the abutting surfaces ofthe plate and pusher. Likewise, if the plate being pushed from themagazine should not have an embossed character thereon, suchconstruction prevents damage to the parts by preventing the engagementof the pusher with two plates simultaneously.

To facilitate mounting of the printing plate in the frame, the longedges of the former have been made serpentine, rather than straight, andutilize this serpentine edge to prevent the second plate from the bottomin the magazine Si) from moving out of the magazine, due to itsfrictional engagement with the bottommost plate, as the latter is beingmoved by the pusher lil. To this end a collar 65 is suitably secured toa meinber rigid with the base 2) and is provided with a hole toremovably accommodate one of the pins 64. At its periphery the collarprojects into the magazine 60 and engages a trough portion of theserpentine edge of the two plates next adjacent the bottommost plate.

The lower portion of the collar 56 is cut away to permit the bottommostplate to slide freely past the collar. The plates are retained incontact with the collar 66 and the wall of the magazine by suitablestops El and 68, the former engaging the plates, substantially oppositethe collar, and the latter engaging the plates adjacent their oth-erend. The stop 68 is cut away at its base to permit the sliding of thelowermost plate therebeneath. It thus follows from this constructionthat while the lowermost plate P may be slid out of the magazine 68, theplate thereabove is retained in position by the collar 65.

1t sometimes is desirable to accommodate plates P oi a diierent width inthe magazine QQ. To this end the stops 61 and 69 are provided with slots59 and are retained in position in grooves 8G in the top of the base bythumb sci'ews 8l passing through the slots 69. The stop 6l opposite thecollar 66 is locked against movement away from the plates by a cam plate82. This cam, as appearing in Fig. 1, has four arcuate sections, each ata different radial distance from the center of the cam. Thus, by settingthe cam to cause any given arcuate surface to lie behind the stop l, aplate in width corresponding to that position may be used and yet thestop 61 may not be forced rearwardly.

As the bottornmost plate in the magazine begins to move under theimpulse of the pusher l, the spring tongues lli of the irame Fl aredepressed. This is accomplished when the guideway 59, together with theframe Fl is rocked or raised upwardly. As this upward movement takesplace the spring tongues l!! move into an underlying engaging relationwith the members 84 and 85.

The guideway 153, as heretofore mentioned, includes two parallel barslll and d2, spaced a sufcient distance apart to accommodate the memberof the frame pusher 58. The bars 4l and l2 are fastened together attheir ends by cross members 4G and fl'l. This guideway is pivotallymounted on a horizontal axis in the base 2l) by a pair of center pinswhich threadingly 20 engage the base and project into conical sockets inthe guideway.

The guideway il@ is rocked about its pivot in a manner hereafter to bedescribed, and its downward movement is limited by an adjustable stopbest shown at Fig. 4. Such Stop comprises a screw t6, threadngly carriedby a member 8l, which is secured to the base at 88. The upper end of thescrew 86 engages the cross member 41 of the guideway.

The guideway 3G is rocked upwardly by a camming action as the pusher 'J9begins its movement toward the leit, (Fig. 5) to eject a plate from themagazine BQ. This camming action results from contact between a cam bar|00 secured to the underside of the guideway bars il and 52, and amember lill carried at the left hand end of the bar lll-l, which barreciprocates with and supports the plate pusher l2. As shown in Figs. 4,5 and 6 the bar lll is slidably mounted in grooves H32 in spacedvertical rails H33 and lll. Each rail, as shown in Fig. l0. is formed bya bar W5 secured to the base 2li by bolts 106 and is provided with abottom cap member lill. The bar lfl extends to the left relative to theleft hand end of the pusher l2, so that as the pusher engages a plate Pin the magazine 60, the member lGl is in position to engage the cam barH30 of the guideway. The arrangement of these parts is such that theguideway is cairimed upwardly before the pusher i2 progress-es a plate Pto the guideway The cam bar l is of such length that the contact betweenit and the member lill is maintained until the pusher l2 reaches theextreme left-hand limit of its movement.

The spring tongues lll are depressed relative to the frame Flsimultaneously with the rocking or raising of the guideway Gil. asheretofore mentioned. As shown in l and 5, the spring tongues l!! of theframe, which is in the position designated Fl, lie below respectivemembers 84 and 85. The left-hand member designated at 84 comprises acomparatively thin, rigid, metallic plate mounted on the machine baseand overhanging the guideway [lll with its inner end superimposed abovethe left-hand tongue lil, which extends above the plane of the body ofthe frame F, as shown in Fig. 5. As the guideway is moved upwardly, thistongue lli moves into contact with the member 84. Continued upwardmovement oi' the guideway raises the frame Fl and as the movement of theleft hand tongue I4 is stopped by the member ed, the tongue is depressedbelow the plane of the frame Fl, as shown in Fig. 6, At the same timeth-e member 84 depresses the 1 frame.

left-hand tongue I 4 of the frame the member 85 engages the right-handtongue (Figs 3 and 5). This latter member 85 is a very thin metallicplate carried by the frame 20 and positioned with respect to a frame inthe position FI to overlie the right-hand tongue I4. It is thusp-ossible by reason of the member 85 to slide a plate from the magazineEil over the memb-er onto the frame FI with no chance of such plateabutting the end of the adjacent tongue I4.

Shortly after the raising of the guideway 4i) the lowermost plate P inthe magazine Si] is fully ejected from the magazine and slid or shovedinto position onto the frame Fi. This is accomplished by the continuedleft-hand movement of the pusher '|2, which push-es the plate F onto theframe FI causing it to depress the right-hand spring tongue I 4 and passover the member 85 and the spring tongue i4 of the frame FI and becomeretained beneath the overlying lips Ii and I2 of the frame. As soon asthe plate P is positioned on the frame FI with its ends in alignmentwith the abutments I3 of the spring tongues i4 thereof, the left-handmovement of the pusher I2 ceases.

The movement of the plate onto the frame FI causes the depression of theright-hand spring tongue I4 due to the camming downwardly of the platetoward the frame as it approaches the This camming is effected bystationary cams I Ia and IIIlb (Figs. l, 3 and 4) having cam surfaces II2 and mounted on the base 2G by suitable screws III at each side of theplate guideway adjacent its intersection with the frame f guideway. Atthe same time the plate engages these cams it commences to ride over thethin shield member 85 and thus is prevented from coming into abuttingrelation with the end of the adjacent spring tongue I4. It thus followsthat as the plate is cammed downwardly toward the frame by the camsIIIla and H017 and at the same time is moved toward the left by thepusher 'I'El it will depress the underlying tongue I4 and move beneaththe lips I I and I2 of the frame FI.

To facilitate the movement of the plate beneath the lips II and I2 ofthe frame, the stationary cams IIa and IIBb overlie the frame, eachextending substantially as far as the respective lips of the frame.Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the cam IIilb extends over theguideway to substantially register with the right-hand lip I2 and byreason of a rabbetted edge guides the adjacent edge of the plate beneaththat lip. In a similar manner the stationary cam IIDa guides the platealong a rabbet (Fig. 11) insuring its passage beneath the lip II of theframe FI as it is moved toward the left.

The mechanism is so constructed that plates may be inserted on frames,none of which have old plates thereon, or plates may be so inserted onframes, all or some of which carry old plates. If the frame, which is tobe provided with a new plate, as heretofore described, carries an oldplate, such old plate is removed as the new plate is being mounted. Thisis accomplished by an ejector H5, which moves substantially as a unitwith the pusher l0.

The ejector |I5 comprises an elongated bar, Which extends parallel withthe pusher I5 and lies outside of the magazine 6|). The right hand endof the ejector (Fig. l) is connected to a block H6, which is secured tothe member 7f3 of the pusher 10. The ejector extends toward the left andhas a downwardly extending foot III, carv rying a notch Illa, which isadapted to engage the old plate carried by the frame FI and shove ittoward the left over the spring tongue I4 and the member 84, whichretains the spring tongue depressed relative to the main body of theframe Fl. 5

A suitable guide is provided for the ejector bar II5, as, for instance,the block II8, which is secured to the base 28 and has a slot I I 9, asshown in Fig. 8, through which the bar slides. A suitable spring, suchas the spring I 2i] carried by the block 10 l i8, servesto maintain thefoot I I'I of the ejector b ar M5 in contact with the frame FI to insureejection of the old plate.

As the ejector bar I I 5 shoves an old plate from the frame Fl, suchplate is ejected from the ma- 15 chine by a flat spring member |25. Themember E225 is secured to the side wall of the base 20, as at E25, andis so positioned as to be engaged by the old plate as the latter isshoved from the Y frame by the ejector bar, and snaps or flips the 2Oold plate from the machine as soon as such plate is free from the lipsII and I2 of the frame FI. From the foregoing, it is evident that when aframerhas an old plate, the latter will be removed, simultaneous withthe positioning of a new plate 25 on such frame.

The plate, having been mounted on the printing frame FI, the next stepin the operation of the machine is the release of the spring tongues I4of the frame which have been depressed with re- 30 spect to the flatportion of the frame. To this end, the guideway is lowered by rocking itabout its pivots 48. The frame FI carried intermediately o-n theguideway drops with respect to the members 84 and 85, and the tongues I4rise to 35 their normal position in the frame F and lock the newlyinserted plate against endwise movement With respect to such frame.

The guideway 4i) was maintained in an uppermost pivotal position, asheretofore described, 40 during the left-hand stroke (Fig. 6) of the barle, when the member IBI actively engaged the underside of the cam bar|00. As the member IUI is pivotally carried on the bar 14, it is swungout of engagement with the cam bar |33 as the mem- 45 ber completes itsleft-hand or plate-feeding stroke. At the completion of the platefeeding stroke, the bar 'I4 which carries the member IUI commences aright-hand or withdrawal stroke (Figs. 5 and 6). 5()

The member IIlI is pivotally mounted for horizontal movement on a post I30 carried by the bar 14. As shown in Fig. 9, the member IOI isprevented from pivoting in a clockwise direction by an abutting ledge 3|of the bar 14. The mem- 55 ber IllI is normally retained in thisposition by a tension spring I32 fastened at one end to the member andat the other end to the bar 14. It therefore follows that during theleft-hand movement of the bar 'I4 (Fig. 5), the member I0| is 60maintained against the ledge |3| and beneath the cam bar |00.

Upon the completion of the left-hand or feeding stroke of the pusher 70,the member I 0I is moved from beneath the cam bar I |10, permitting theguideway 4e to drop by gravity, with the result that the pressure on thespring tongues I4 of the plate FI is released. As the bar 'I of thepusher mechanism reaches its extreme left-hand position, the edge |35 ofthe member IDI is car- 70 ried beneath a cam portion |36 of the cam barIllil. The weight of the guideway then through the surfaces |35 and |36acts to cam or rock the member IUI counter-clockwise about its pivot|30,

As shown, the pivot I 3D is so located that the 75` member |3| swingsentirely out from under the bar IUI! and engages the side of such bar,which prevents returning of the member until the return stroke of thebar ill has drawn the member clear of the bar.

The cam surface is so constructed that it acts as soon as the plate Phas been positioned on the frame Fi. However, due to the fact that thepusher plate 'i2 is considerably thicker than a plate P, the dropping ofthe guideway may be initiated slightly before the feeding stroke of thepusher plate "i2 is complete without danger of disengaging the contactbetween the pusher and the plate P. L ne cam surface may therefore belocated to contact with the member il slightly before the bar-ifi asreached its left-hand limit, and thereby insure the positioning of themember li under the cam surface |36.

I nd it desirable to jog the plates in the magazine GG to insure theirdescent in the magazine and the engagement of the lower plates with thecollar 65. To this end a lever |69, Figs. 5 and 6, is intermittentlyraised and lowered to jog the plates up and down in the magazine 60.This lever carries an arm iti extending at right angles thereto andadapted to lie under one end of the stack of plates in the magazine.`The lever |65 is pivotally mounted on the bar i5@ at |52 and has adownwardly extending lug |63. lug is engaged by a cam |555 carried bythe bar 1li and as the latter moves toward the right (Fig. 5) the leveris cammed up an inclined portion of the cam and causes the member |6| tojog the plates in the magazine.

To aid the jogger to position the plates P relative to the collar G5,the operating end i of the plate ejector bar H5 is drawn into an openingin the wall of the magazine and into engagement with the lowerinostplates therein (Fig. ll). The ejector bar engages the plates Pmmediately abo-Je the collar on the return or righthand stroke of theejector and definitely locates the serpentine edge relative to thecoilar 5S.

After the guideway has 1been returned to its lowered position, asheretofore described, the frame, in the position of the frame Fi, istransferred to the re eiving magazine Sli. As the plate pusher 'i5 actedto shove a plate P into position on a frame Fi, the frame pusher wasbeing Withdrawn to a position to feed another frame from the magazine3e. While the frame pusher is feeding another frame into a loadingposition, the extension 55 on the frame pusher, heretofore mentioned,acts to position the previously loaded frame for stacking in thereceiving magazine 96.

The extension 5S of the pusher, above mentioned, is adapted to bearagainst the rear edge of the loaded frame and shove it out from underthe leaf spring (i5. This extension comprises a plate Mii, secured tothe member 52, and lying on top of the guideway li. One edge lili ofthis member extends transversely across the guideway and engages theedges i5 of depressed regions il', which form part or" the tab keepers,heretofore described, and illustrated in Fig. l5.

To insure the abutting relation between the edge Hil of the pusherextension 565 and the frame edges IB, thin spring tongues are carried bythe pusher :itension adjacent the edge Uli. Two of these tongues i122bear against the guideway members and ft2, while an intermediate tongue|43 lies between such members 4| and [i2 and depends a short distancebelow the plane of the top of the guideway. As the pusher 50 shoves aframe F from the magazine 3d, these three tongues slide under the frameFl and cam the frame upwardly until it abuts the ledge l-Cll by which itis pushed toward the receiving magazine 95.

As the frame in the loading position engages the ledge of the pusherextension and is shoved by it from beneath the leaf spring 45, it thenmoves down the guideway under the inuence of gravity to a position F2underlying and engaging a wall of the receiving magazine 9S whichextends across the guideway. The guideway then is again raised by theplate feed mechanism to feed a plate P to the frame F, which was lastfed to the position FI. As the guideway rises, it pushes the frameupwardly into the magazine cammng it past latches S55, which thereafteract to retain the frames in the magazine independent of the guideway|35.

The frames are carried in the receiving magazine 98 at a slight anglewith respecJ to the plane of the inclined top of the base as shown inFig. 4. The guideway is tapered at to provide a surface parallel withthe plane of the respective plates in the stack above to carry the frameF2. Thus, the guideway need not be lowered quite so far to accommodate aframe beneath the receiving magazine. Furthermore, the frame F2 ispositioned at the proper angle to be easily mounted in the magazine se,when it is shoved upwardly past the retaining latches.

As shown, there are a pair of the latches |50, one positioned on eachside of the magazine with the active part of each disposed in a planeparallel to the plane of the tapered portion |55. As shown in Fig. 7,each latch comprises a channel shaped member having one flange 5|thereoi` considerably longer than the other, and projecting above theguideway di). Each latch is mounted on a stud |52 secured to respectiveside walls of the base and is held thereagainst by a Suitablecompression spring |53 with the longer flange |551 projecting into themagazine. The shorter flange lEil of each latch engages a slot cut in aside wall of the base 28 and provides a pivot about which the latch mayrock to move the longer lange lii into and out of the magazine. Thelower surface of the long flange of each latch is rounded or cam shapedto facilitate the rocking of the latch out of the magazine by the frameF2 in its upward movement under the impulse of the guideway.

When a frame has been moved upwardly past the latches |58, it shovesupwardly all the frames which have been previously placed in the stack.The ribs i5 on the underside of this newly placed plate rest on theupper portion of the latches |55, which were repositioned beneath thestack of frames by the springs |53, as soon as the frame F2 has movedabove the latches.

The various mechanisms which are employed to progress frames and platesfrom their respective magazines, mount the latter on the former, andprogress the mounted combination to a receiving magazine are alloperated from a common source. Such mechanisms are coordinated to causeeach operation to be performed in a timed relationship with the otheroperations.

Power to operate the mechanisms constituting the complete machine may bederived from any suitable source. Although the machine may bepower-driven, I have shown, for simplicity, a hand wheel i'i in Figs. 1and 5, the rotation of which operates the machine. This hand wheel V56is secured to a shaft rotatably carried by the base 20 in suitablebearings. A bevel pinion |12 is secured to the shaft and, by engagementwith a bevel gear |13 at right angles thereto, transmits the powerapplied at the hand wheel to an upwardly extending shaft |14 carried bya bearing bracket |15 of the base 20.

The driving power is transmitted from the shaft |14 to the variousmechanisms by a crank |16 having an upstanding roller |11. .The rollerengages a slot |18 in a lever |19 which is pivotally mounted on the base2i! at |80.

The plate pusher mechanism is reciprocated by the lever |133 as thelatter pivots about its support. A roller l8| carried on the undersideof the bar 14 engages the slot |18 in the lever |19 and therebyreciprocates the bar 14.

To reciprocate the pusher 50 and feed the frames F, the motiontransmitted to the lever |19 by the crank |16 is transmitted through anarm |35 rigidly attached to the lever adjacent its pivotal end. A link|86 is pinned at one end to the arm and at the other end to an arm |81of a lever |88, which is pivotally carried on the frame at |89. A slotin the lever |88 is slidingly engaged by a ball ISI carried by themember 52 of the frame pusher 50. The ball and slot connection permitthe rocking of the guideway 40 without affecting the driving relationbetween lever |88 and the frame pusher 50. Thus it will be seen thatoperation of the handwheel |18 causes each mechanism to be operated in atimedrelationship with the others.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provideda machine simple in construction and economical in its manufacture,which is adapted to receive a stack of platecarrying frames directlyfrom a drawer or other storage receptacle and rapidly feed them into asecond stack, and, as they pass from one stack to the other, to act onthe frames to vmount a printing plate thereon automatically, and at thesame time remove from the frame an old plate if such is mounted thereon.The rejuvenated printing members thus stacked in the receiving magazineare ready for immediate transferrence to an addressing machine or astorage drawer, as may be desired. Y

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means forsupporting a frame on which a printing plate is adapted to be held bymovable retaining means, means independent of the plate for moving theretaining means to idle position, and means to position a plate on theframe after the retaining means has been so moved.

2. In a machine of the class described, a magazine for carrying frameson which plates are to be held: by retaining means, comprising meansacting in advance of the plate being fed for moving the retaining meansto idle position, and means to move a plate onto the frame after theretaining means has been moved to idle position.

3. In a machine of the class described, a maga- Zine for carryingholders on which plates are to be held by retaining means, means to feedthe holders one at a time from the magazine, means forming a permanentpart of the machine for moving the retaining means of a fed frame toidle position, means for feeding plates onto the holders while suchretaining means is held idle, and means for thereafter releasing theretaining means.

4. A mechanism for positioning address plates on holders in which they'are to be held by retaining means, comprising means independent of theplate for moving the retaining means to idle pcsition, and means forpositioning a plate on the holder while the retaining means is heldinactive.

5. A mechanism for positioning a printing plate on a frame on which itmay oe held by means including a spring retainer, comprising means forretracting the spring retainer in advance of the plate, and means forpositioning a plate on the frame after the retainer has been retracted.

6. Mechanism for positioning printing plates on frames in which they areto be held by spring retaining means, comprising means interposedbetween the path of the plate onto the frame and the retaining means forrestraining the spring retaining means, means for positioning a plate onthe frame while the retaining means is restrained, and means forthereafter releasing said retaining means.

7. Mechanism for positioning printing plates on frames in which they areto be held by spring retaining means, comprising guiding means overlyingand pressing against the spring retaining means and means to move aplate across the guiding means into position on the frame.

8. Mechanism for positioning address plates on frames in which they areto be held by spring retaining means, comprising guiding means adaptedto coact with the spring retaining means, means to move a frame intoengagement with the guiding means, means to slide a plate into positionon the frame across the guiding means, and means to move the frame outof engagement with the guiding means.

9. The combination of a frame, a movable support carried by the frame tosustain a holder having a removable plate retained in position thereonby edge-engaging ledges and a depressible end latch, a thin memberadapted to overlie such latch, means to raise said support toward saidmember to cause the latch to be engaged, whereby a plate may be movedacross the thin member and latch into or out of engagement with saidledges.

l0. In a machine of the class described, a frame, movable means carriedby the frame to support a holder having a removable plate retained inposition thereon by a depressible latch, a tongue superimposed over thelatch and carried by the frame, means to move the support toward thetongue and cause the latch to be restrained, means to eject a plate fromsaid frame while the latch is restrained, and means to move the supportaway from the tongue and relieve the restraint on the latch.

l1. The combination with a movable support adapted to carry an addressplate frame having two spring retaining tongues which may engage theopposite ends of an address plate mounted on the frame, two abutmentscarried by the machine beneath which the tongues of the frame may stand,and means for raising the movable support to cause the retainers toengage the respective abutments, whereby a plate may be moved eitheronto the frame 'or off the frame across the abutment.

l2. In a machine of the class described, a base, a guideway pivotallymounted on said base, a reciprocating slide carried by the guideway andadapted to feed a frame having a plate removably latched thereon bydepressible tongues along said guideway, means 4to raise said guideway,a pair of thin members carried by said base and disposed above the pathoi' the depressible latches or" a frame carried thereby, and means toshove a plate onto said irame across one of said members and/or shove aplate orf of said frame across one of said members while the latches aredepressed.

13. In a machine of the class described, a base, a guideway pivotallymounted on said base, a reciprocating slide carried by the guideway andadapted to feed a i'rame having a plate removably latched thereon bydepressible tongues along said guideway, a second guideway carried bysaid base and disposed at right angles to and intersecting the rst-namedguideway, a magazine to carry plates associated with the last-namedguideway, means to raise the first-named guideway, a pair of thinmembers carried by said base and disposed above the path of thedepressible latches of a frame carried thereby, and means reciprocatingin the second named guideway to shove a plate onto said frame across oneof said members and/or shove a plate ofi of said frame across the otherof said members while the latches are depressed.

14. In a machine of the class described, a base, a guide-way pivotallymounted on said base, mage azines supported by said base and disposed atopposite ends of the guideway, a reciprocating slide carried by theguideway and adapted to feed a frame having a plate removably latchedthereon by depressible tongues, along said guideway from one magazine toanother in two steps, a second guideway carried by said base anddisposed at right angles to and intersecting the first-named guideway, amagazine to carry plates associate with the last-n Yned guideway, meansto raise said guideway, a air oi thin tongues carried by said base anddisposed above the path oi the depressible latches ci a frame carriedthereby, means reciprocating in the second named guideway to shove aplate onto said frame across one ci said tongues and/or shove a plateoff et said frame across the other of said tongues while the latches aredepressed, means to lower the guideway to release the latches, and meansto stack the finished units.

l5. In a machine of the class described, a magazine for carrying frameshaving plates removably mounted thereon, a movable guideway, means tofeed frames along said guideway, means to position a plate on and/oreject a plate trom the frame, a magazine for storing plates adjacent theguideway, and means operative consequent upon movement of said guidewayto stack the frames in the magazine.

16. In a machine of the class described, a magazine for receiving frameshaving plates removably latched thereon, a movable guideway, means toiced frames along said guideway in two steps, means to release the latchafter the iirst feeding step is accomplished, means to eject a platefrom and/or position a plate on the frame while the latch is released bya continuous movement, a magazine for storing plates adjacent theguideway and means to stack the frame in the magazine at the end of thesecond feeding step, and wherein both said releasing means and saidstacking means are operative consequent upon movement of said guideway.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means forfeeding plates carrying frames having releasable latches, an abutmentbeneath which the latch is adapted to stand, a magazine to receiveaddress plate frames with plates, a liftable support for at least twoplates, one beneath the abutment and one beneath the magazine, and meansfor raising said support to effect the relative depression of the latchon one frame whereby a plate may be mounted on it and at the same timestack in the magazine another frame on which the plate has been mounted.

18. In a machine of the character described, the combination of twomagazines each adapted to carry frames, a raisable guideway extendingfrom one magazine to the other on an incline so that the plates, whenreleased from one magazine, may be readily moved to the other, means forcontrolling the movement of the frames along the guideway, means forshoving plates onto the frames While they are in intermediate positionbetween the magazines, means for raising the guideway to stack a framewith a plate mounted thereon in the receiving magazine, an operatingshaft mounted in the frame of the machine and extending beneath theguideway, cam mechanism operatively connected with said shaft for effecting the raising of the guideway and lever and linkage mechanismconnecting said shaft with the plunger for shoving plates onto theframes.

19. In a machine of the class described a magazine for carrying frames,each adapted to removably carry a plate and having releasable means toretain a plate thereon, a movable guideway, means for feeding framesfrom the magazine to the guideway, a projection xed to said machineadjacent said guideway and adapted to register with the releasable meansof a frame located on said guideway, means to move said guideway toengage said projection, whereby said releasable means is renderedinactive by engagement with said projection, and means for removingrespective plates from the frames when said releasable means is renderedinactive.

20. In a machine of the class described, a pivotally carried guideway,means to feed printing frames along said guideway, said frames beingadapted to carry printing plates thereon, the plates being retained onthe frames by releasable retaining means, a projection carried by saidmachine and adapted to overlie the guideway, further means to locate aframe in said guideway with the releasable retaining means thereof inregistration with said projection, and means to move said guidewaytoward said projection whereby the frame releasable retaining means isrendered inactive.

21. In a machine of the class described, a pivotally carried guideway,means to feed printing frames along said guideway, said frames beingadapted to carry printing plates thereon, said plates being retained byreleasable retaining means, projections carried by said machine andadapted to overlie said guideway, means to locate and retain a frame insaid guideway beneath said projection with the releasable retainingmeans thereof in registration therewith, and means to raise saidguideway toward said releasing means whereby the frame releasableretaining means is rendered inactive.

22. In a machine of the class described, a base, a guideway pivotallymounted on said base, means carried by the guideway to feed a frame bydepressible tongues, along the guideway, the frame having provision toremovably latch a plete thereon, means to raise and lower said guideway,a thin member carried by said base and adapted to register with adepressible tongue of a frame located in a predetermined position on theguide- Way when the guideway is moved and means to .lll

ne 4u) shove a plate onto said frame across said member While the latchis inactive.

23. In a machine of the class described, a magazine for carrying holderso n which plates are to be held by two retaining means, respectively atthe ends of the plate, certain of the holders having plates thereon,mechanism for simultaneously rendering both retaining means inactive,means for feeding the holders from the magazine to said mechanism, andmeans acting after the retaining means have been rendered idle to ejectthe plates from the holders having plates mounted thereon and toposition new plates on said holders.

24. A mechanism for ejectingv address plates from holders in which theyare held by retaining means, comprising flat means to overlie and renderinactive the retaining means and means acting after the retaining meansis rendered inactive to eject the plate from said holder over the top ofsaid :dat means by one continuous movement.

25. Mechanism for positioning address plates on frames in which they areto be held by spring retaining means at both ends of the plate,comprising engaging means for simultaneously rendering inactive bothspring retaining means, means for ejecting a plate on the frame acrossthe released retaining means and the engaging means at one end and meansto position a new plate on the frame across the released retaining meansat the other end.

26. In a machine of the class described, a guideway, magazines atopposite ends of the guideway and on the upper side thereof forreceiving holders having removable plates carried thereby, means to feedholders from the rst magazine to the second, means to raise a holderfrom the guideway into the second magazine, a second guidewayintersecting the rst mentioned guideway, a magazine adjacent one end ofthe second guideway to 5 receive plates and means to progress a platefrom the last-named guideway to a holder in the rstnamed guideway whileejecting a plate from the opposite end of the holder.

27. The method of attaching printing plates to l0 carrying frames inwhich they may be held by means including a depressible latch, ordetaching plates from such frames, comprising the steps of holding aframe, surmounting the latch thereof by a member which does not obstructthe travel l5 of the plate, causing relative movement between the frameand said member to depress the latch relative to the frame, then slidingthe plate into or out of position on the frame across the depressedlatch and over the top of the surmounting 20 member, and thereafterreleasing the depressed latch.

28. The combination with a machine of the class described of a series offrames, each having a spring tongue adapted to underlie a printing 25plate and provided with a raised abutment adapted to engage the end ofthe plate and terminating in a lip located above the top plane of theplate, means carried by the machine for engaging said lip and depressingit relative to the 30 body of the frame, and further means carried bysaid machine for moving a plate onto the frame over the depressed lip.

WALTER T. GOLLWITZER.

